


A New Hope

by Musicritter1



Series: Critical Role Star Wars AU [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Campaign 1 (Critical Role), F/M, I came up with this literally earlier today and wrote it, I think im funny but im also a dramatic bitch so we'll see, Rating May Change, The Force
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:42:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22238062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musicritter1/pseuds/Musicritter1
Summary: BUM BUM BUM BUUUUH BUUUUMMMMMM BUM BUM BUM BUHHHHHHM BUM BUM BUM BUM BUUUUUUUUHHHHHMMMM BUHM BUM BUM bum bumIt is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the ZIGGURAT, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Prince Percival races home aboard his starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save his people and restore freedom to the galaxy….Otherwise known as, Star Wars but with Critical Role characters because I haven't written fanfiction in like maybe 5 years but I came up with this in one day and had to post it.
Relationships: Keyleth/Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia, Scanlan Shorthalt/Pike Trickfoot
Series: Critical Role Star Wars AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600738
Comments: 52
Kudos: 59





	1. The Plans

BOOM! 

The sound of an impact rattled the entire ship, followed immediately by alarms. 

"They hit our light-speed engines, we can't get away, there's no hope." The man took off his silver helmet, the blue of the screen reflecting off his face made his skin look even more shock white.

"Not yet soldier," The Prince said, wiping his mop of pure white hair out of his face, "There is still hope. Keep them off my ship as long as you can manage." 

"What then Prince?" The Twi'leck pilot asked.

"Pray that the force is with our mission," Percy said and ran into the hallway. 

It wasn't hard to find the small Jedi woman, especially since a goliath of a man always stayed not two steps behind her. The woman approached Percival and he immediately dropped to his knee.

"It’s them, I can feel it," Pike said, moving her hand to her belt, on it, she carried one of the most deadly weapons in the galaxy. 

"I know, I recognized the ship, and they know it's me." Percy pulled out a small disk. " They are trying to board our ship, and it will be too obvious if I'm gone. But you Master Pike can escape. The trash is set to launch in 3 minutes. If you deploy an escape pod at the same time you might make it out unnoticed. We're only clicks away from the Ashari planet."

"Master Vysoren, that's where she sent her last message from." Pike's face lit up at the thought of her old teacher. Pike had told Percy of her training many times and knew Allura might be able to help them.

"From there you can find a ship to bring you to Whitestone. My sister Cassandra can take it to the Rebel base."

"And what about you, they'll kill you, Percy," Pike said, her voice cracking.

"They won't kill me, I'm too valuable to them as bait, besides, it wouldn't be the first time I've escaped those two." Percy shuddered at the memory. Another crash rocked the ship and the computer announced that another ship had docked. "You must leave now Master Jedi, if the resistance is to survive, it needs you." 

He kissed Pike on the forehead as he stood up, a silent thank you for all she'd done for him. He turned to her large bodyguard and best friend. "Keep her safe, Grog."

"On my life, and my title," Grog said, which Percy couldn't help but smile at. He had given the man a title once, even if it was a fake title, Grog held it with honor. 

"I trust you big man, now get going, both of you." Percy turned to run but heard the voice of his tiny friend. 

"May the Force be with you." He looked back for a glance to see the pair sprinting to the escape pods, carrying the fate of the resistance in a tiny disk.

"Always," he responded under his breath and ran back to the control deck just to see the doors of the docking bay open. 

Percy's heart skipped a beat as the Briarwoods stepped in unison on the ship. Without a second beat, Percy fired his handmade blaster-rifle towards the pair, starting an open fire from all the ship's crew, though he knew it was no match. All though they outnumbered the Briarwoods ten to one, the pair had unnatural powers. The masked Lord Briarwood blocked blast after blast with his black lightsaber, which seemed to absorb the light rather than deflect them. The Lady Briarwood did not wear a mask but somehow looked like royalty as she grabbed soldiers with invisible hands and tossed them around the room like rag dolls. 

They made quick time of slaughtering the entire crew, Silas with his blade and Delilah without moving anything but her hands to choke the life out of Percy's men. Percy fired again, actually hitting Delilah in the side. Her glowing yellow eyes turned to him in a furry. She lifted her hand and Percy lost control of his body. It was like he was trapped, his muscles obeying a command that wasn't his to rise, and then lift off the floor. Twenty or so men were all dead on the floor and Percy couldn't control his body even to cry for all the innocent men he'd lost.

"You bastard! You'll pay for-" Silas said, his voice cracking and deep through the mask. He raised his saber to deliver the killing strike on the Prince but was interrupted by his wife.

"No need for that my Dear, it’s just a graze. Besides, we need the young prince." She smiled, her Sith yellow eyes making it all the more horrifying. "But first things first, where are the plans?" 

"What plans?" Percy asked through gritted teeth. His body immediately felt like it was being pulled in ten different directions at once, muscles feeling like they would tear from the pressure. 

"Don’t play dumb Percival, it insults your intellect. Now I'll ask one more time, where are the plans?" 

"I don't know what you’re talking about." Percy couldn't stop the scream that erupted from his lips as his limbs were pulled even further from his torso. All off his joints burned and his vision blackened around the edges. 

"Don't think me an idiot. You may be a prince but I know your working with the Rebel scum!" 

"I have nothing to do with the Rebellion. And trust me when word gets out you attacked a diplomatic ship on route to discuss peace with your Emperor, the Senate will not be pleased." 

Percy was dropped and slammed on the floor, he felt a trickle of blood run down his face. Delilah walked up to him, revealing her own lightsaber, made with ornate gold she pressed a button and a blood-red blade appeared. "I guess we'll have to do this the hard way. It's a shame though, I didn't think this blade would have to take any more DeRollo lives."

"You bitch," Percy spat at her, not able to contain it in. He felt so small again, that same kid who hid while all he could see was black and red light slaughtering the silhouettes that belonged to his family. The imagery didn't last long as Silas moved around him. He felt a sharp knock on his head that brought unconscious with it. His last thought was praying that pike had escaped before the darkness engulfed his vision.


	2. Ashari

Keyleth felt the sun's heat across her body and heard the whipping wind that was so common in her home. She put her hands flat against the natural rock structure she sat on. 

Clear your mind. Feel it within you, flowing through you and into the world around you, She heard her father's words in her mind. She tried to focus on it, the Force or whatever it was, but that was easier said than done. People always talked about the Force as if it were some god or some power that controlled everything. It seemed unlikely to her that some omnipotent "Force" could let people move rocks around but couldn't stop the empire from killing thousands of innocent people every day. 

She tried to clear her mind, feel the invisible… thing, but she gave up. She'd meditated for almost an hour and the only thing she could feel was the cold wind biting at her skin. She tossed a pebble that sat next to her then climbed down off the rocks. She claimed in her hover-craft and started flying home. 

Her brain was on autopilot as she flew. Being in the air was one of the most freeing things for Keyleth. She just liked the feeling of being off the ground, wind wiping her long hair around her face and getting tangled in her antler circlet. She had distant memories of red hair that was not her own, flying in her face as she held tightly to her mother’s back, soaring across the blue mountains that made up the Ashari landscape. 

It took nearly 20 minutes to get back to her home. As she walked in she could smell food cooking, a combination of native fruits and freshly baked bread was a typical breakfast for her small family. 

“Good morning, Keyleth.” Her dad turned from his cooking. Though he wasn’t that old, Korrin’s long hair had gone completely silver, and he had signs of frown lines appearing at his eyebrows. It didn’t help that he had been in many political meetings recently. As the Chief of the Zephyr Ashari, it was Korrin’s job to speak on behalf of them to the council. One that had recently been made an offer to willingly give power to the Galactic Empire, or to watch as their planet was overpowered by thousands of Storm Troopers taking Ashari forcefully. 

“Good morning, Dad,” Keyleth said, grabbing a slice of bread and a blue fruit before sitting down. “I went out to Mom’s spot this morning. I figured if I was gonna feel the Force anywhere, it would be there. Turns out it was just a waste of time.”

“Keyleth, don’t be so hard on yourself. You have been doing well, especially without a teacher. Jedi didn’t become masters overnight,” Korrin said, taking a seat next to his daughter. “In fact, your mother told me she once trained a youngling who couldn’t move so much as a pebble, who in a moment of danger, lifted an entire avalanche.”

“Well maybe if Mom was here, I might actually learn something other than meditation.” The silence stung. It had been 10 years since the Jedi were hunted and almost wiped out, but it hung over them as if it had just happened. Although Jedi were encouraged to not have families, there were exceptions. Vilya was one of those exceptions. She had been at home, tucking Keyleth into bed one night when they heard the noise. Vilya grabbed her lightsaber and left home, it was over too quickly. Keyleth’s mom had put up a fight but there was nothing they could do. She was gone before Korrin could even get outside with his blaster.

“I’m sorry, dad, I didn’t mean, I shouldn’t have…” Keyleth stammered. 

“No, you’re right. You deserve a teacher, a mother. I’m sorry there are things-” Korrin was interrupted by the sound of an explosion. They ran outside and saw a burning pile of rubble in the distance. Without saying a word the pair armed themselves, Korrin with a blaster and Keyleth with her mother’s saber, a beautiful thing with a wooden handle and intricate carvings. Together they hopped on the hovercraft and flew to the explosion. 

It only took a couple of minutes to get there, but what they saw was almost more shocking than the crash itself. There was a huge gray man, bald but had a thick black beard swinging an ax into the rubble of the ship, cursing it out as if it would respond. The other figure was a small woman, maybe 3 feet tall, with white hair and… Jedi robes!   
Keyleth shared a knowing look with her father before approaching. The Jedi woman turned to them before they stopped and cocked her head. Keyleth felt as if the small woman was staring directly at her. 

“Master Jedi, I didn’t think there were any of you left,” Korrin called out as the father and daughter pair stepped off the craft. The man stopped cutting apart the remains of his ship to turn around. There was a fury in his eyes, looking like he might attack at any moment. The Jedi put her arm in front of him and he responded instantly, going from a furious rage to caution quickly, though he did not lower his ax.

“The Empire did make a point of wiping us out, however, a fair number did survive the extinction order, though only in exile.” She said, slowly approaching. “Who might you be?”

“I am Korrin, Chief of the Zephyr Ashari and this is my daughter Keyleth.”

“Zephyr… Like Master Vilya?” The Jedi asked.

“My wife, though she did not survive the extinction order,” Korrin responded and the woman’s face fell.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. I did not know her well but from what I heard, she was an amazing person.”

“I appreciate the sentiment.”

“I am Pike, and this is my best buddy Grog,” Pike said, gesturing to the grey man. He grunted his greeting. “We are looking for a lady, Allura Vysoren. Her last known location was on this planet.”

“I’ve not heard the name before, but I could ask when I leave for the city today. What does she look like.”

“Ummmm, she’s real pretty.” Grog stated, confident in his description. 

“She's blonde, human, always wore her hair in two low braids,” Pike said, looking up as if trying to picture her. “She wore blue robes most of the time.”

“Laura O'Vord,” Keyleth said, glancing at her dad.

“It certainly does match her description." Korrin agreed. "You may come back to our home to rest and my daughter can take you to see Laura after you get some rest. That was a nasty crash and you look like you could use a good meal."

Pike bowed her head in appreciation. "Thank you, I'm sure Grog would love a meal." 

"Do you have any ale?” Grog asked, his face contorting into a pitiful expression. Despite him being nearly twice her size, Keyleth was struck by how innocent he looked, and she'd wanted to help him. 

"We've got a bit, though we have a few bottles of wine,” Keyleth said.

“What’s that?” Grog looked at her confused.

“Your joking.” But he wasn't He looked like he was just asked the hardest question in the universe. “It’s fermented fruit. Depends on the planet will depend on what kind of wine it is.” Grog still looked confused.

“Its like alcoholic grape juice,” Pike explained, patting Grog’s arm.

They all climbed up on the hovercraft, which tipped for a moment when Grog stepped on, but it corrected itself and took them home. Korrin left for the city, leaving Keyleth with the Jedi and the goliath. They ate food, Grog cleaning out near all the food and booze they had in the kitchen. The pair took an extra room and passed out. While Keyleth nursed her hangover, she heard a man’s voice, though she couldn’t place it. It was a different accent than Grog. She took a double-take at the wine, she didn’t have that much. Keyleth looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. 

She found it coming from the room Pike and Grog were sleeping in. Keyleth cracked the door open and found the pair passed out, though the Jedi held a disc in her hand. There was a hologram coming from it, that kept replaying the same couple seconds. It was a man wearing white diplomatic robes. He wore thin circular glasses and had shock white hair. Only one phrase played on repeat though, one that hit Keyleth more than it had any right to.

“Please help us, your our only hope.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one isn't as interesting but we needed a little exposition somewhere. I just can't wait for the team to finally all get together. It will take a bit, but I'm so ready for it. Thanks for reading. I don't know what to say, I'm not good at notes. I will say I thought I was more clever with Allura's fake name than freaking Ben Kanobi. Like, that's not fooling anyone, Obi Won.


	3. Elementals

It was early the next morning when Keyleth, Pike, and Grog all climbed onto the hovercraft.

Grog yawned, scratching through his thick beard, and asked, "So where does this Laura live?"

"In a small hovel at the base of the mountain range. As far as I know, she only comes into town every couple of weeks to get food and other amenities. She’s quite the loner." Keyleth answered, putting her goggles on and starting the engine

"I can't imagine what it's been like for her since the order. She was married to one of the Jedi Temple guards. It was the first place attacked." Pike said, staring into the distance.

"We've all lost someone," Keyleth said and began driving toward the mountains. Pike approached Keyleth from behind and placed a hand on her arm. 

"I know, that's why I want to end this war." Pike beamed up at Keyleth. She felt bad for her comment. Keyleth hadn't been the only person to lose someone. She was sure many people lost more in the executions, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t think up different scenarios over the years, some of which being a time when her mom was killed before Keyleth could remember her. 

"I'm sorry Pike, I don’t always mean, I mean, I didn't, you know?" Keyleth tripped over her words, she went to use her hands to help her explain, but returned them quickly to the controls, as the hovercraft veered slightly to the right. It wasn’t a hard turn, but her face turned red as she corrected their course. She was glad most of her face was covered by a scarf. 

“I understand, Keyleth.” Pike moved back to stand with Grog at the back and conversed with him. Keyleth zoned out as she looked at the distant mountains. Her brain went on autopilot as she felt the wind on her face. She could taste the cold air around her and hear the sound of rushing wind. She never felt calmer or more at one with herself than when she was flying. She attributed it to the hour-long flights she would take with her mother, but it went beyond that. The sky was her home, though cold, the wind wrapped around her like a hug and all of her scenes seemed heightened. 

She felt it before she saw it, something… wrong. A disturbance. Suddenly the hovercraft pitched to the right and the trio flew out. Keyleth skidded to the ground, getting scrapped up by rocks. She pulled out her staff and rose to her feet. Pike already had her lightsaber out, it was a brilliant yellow, making the small women look like she was glowing. Grog pulled out his ax, which activated to begin humming. For a split second, Keyleth considered using her mother’s saber but decided to stick with the more familiar weapon, a treated wood staff that was carved to look like a wooden vine wrapped all around it. It was ornate and made by her mother from the same wood she had made her saber. 

Keyleth looked at what had attacked them and saw three swirling vortexes of pure storm coming towards them. They continually shifted, their eyes, two icy blue orbs, moved around their incorporeal forms. "Air Elementals!" Keyleth shouted and they attacked. Each came towards a different person. 

The one that approached Pike seemed to elongate before slamming into her twice. One attacked Grog, though he dodged one hit and took the other, using it to fuel his rage and he yelled back in its face. The one approaching Keyleth began to swirl as it entered her space. Keyleth tried to dive away but was sucked into it, being spun and pelted by rocks before she was thrown almost twenty feet away. She skidded to the ground the second time in the last minute. She felt awful. She touched her hand to her head and saw blood. The Air Elemental approached her, right as it was above her, a blue light flashed. The Elemental turned but a blade of blue light passed through it, killing it instantly. Keyleth saw a flash of blue fabric as the figure that had saved her turned. She heard more sounds of fighting before three sets of footprints rushed to her. 

Pike knelt down next to her and placed a hand on Keyleth’s head, and the other hand on her arm, which up until then Keyleth hadn’t noticed it was bent in an odd direction. Pike closed her eyes and began breathing. With each exhale, Keyleth began to feel better. The pain that radiated all over her body dulled to just an ache in her head and left arm.

Grog stood over Keyleth and offered out his hand. She took it with her good arm and stood up. Pike stood up next to her and put a hand on Grog’s arm. Keyleth turned to see a woman wearing blue robes, braided blonde hair, and holding a blue lightsaber. 

“Laura O’Vord, so you are a Jedi.” Keyleth didn’t really ask, more just confirming the obvious. 

“I used to be, but I guess you never really stop being one.” The blonde woman said, deactivating her lightsaber and clipping it to her belt. “I was on my way to town when I saw you guys.”

“Allura Vysoren, is it really you?” Pike asked.

“Now that’s a name I have not heard in a while. And you are Pike if I’m not mistaken. You were Sarenrae’s young apprentice, right?” Pike’s face fell slightly at the mention of her old master. 

“Yes, I had just been assigned to her at the Temple before the order.” Keyleth was shocked to hear that. She had assumed Pike was a master, but if she had only just been assigned she would still be a Padawan technically. 

Allura nodded knowingly. “Well, I get the feeling you weren’t coming to the middle of nowhere for no reason. Why don’t I give you guys a lift back to my place.”

Keyleth was about to object when she got a glance at her hovercraft, or well, what used to be her hovercraft. It was trashed, overturned and barely more than a pile of rubble at that point. Keyleth tried not to think about it, after all, it was just a machine. Just a heap of metal. Just the one place she felt closest to her mom. 

They all climbed onto Allura’s craft, Keyleth took a seat in the back and tried to hold the tears back. Instead, she sat in silence and studied her mom’s saber. At least she still had this. She still had the staff. She had the memories of the red hair, her hands, her dress. She had the wind that felt like a cold yet comforting hug. Pike sat next to her as the craft began flying closer towards the mountains. 

“She taught me how to pilot. I was so young when she was… when she died. It just feels like the older I get, the less I have of her. I don’t remember her face.” Keyleth could no longer contain the tears that streamed down her face before being picked up by the wind. Pike didn’t say anything, there was nothing she could have said. Instead, she put her hand on Keyleth’s knee, and just stayed there with her. 

____________________________________________

“Sir, we aren’t getting anywhere with the prisoner. He won’t talk.” The Stormtrooper said. Lord and Lady Briarwood sat on a large throne like chairs on the bridge of the ship. Delilah sighed, seeming rather annoyed with the fact. She looked over at her husband. Though the mask couldn’t convey any emotion, she could feel what he was through the Force. She didn’t flinch when the Storm trouper rose from the ground, reaching to his neck to stop the invisible hands from killing him. It was too late though. His neck snapped and he fell to the ground. Other soldiers and Moff’s in the room seemed to stand up even straighter. 

“We need that information. He knows where the rebel base is.” Lord Briarwood said, balling his hands into fists. 

“There are other methods of interrogation my Love,” Lady Briarwood said, moving her hand to her husband’s mask, and caressing the black metal that encased his head. “I may be able to extract information from the young politician. And if that fails, Moff Ripley, how long until the weapon is operational.”

The woman stepped forward. “Before the week is over, my Liege. There are residuum pieces that need to be placed before activation. Then it’s just a matter of finding a target.” Ripley smiled. Delilah turned back to his husband. 

“Well, I have heard that Whitestone is nice this time of year.” Lady Briarwood could feel Sylas calm down, then understand.”

“Yes, I would like to visit the Prince. Though it is too bad, I enjoyed our time on Whitestone.” Lord Briarwood said. 

“I know, but it’s been some time, and honestly, since we left, Whitestone has changed, and not for the better.”

“Maybe it should be the first sacrifice to our Emperor.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Delilah smiled and stood, her husband followed suit. She opens the door using the force, walking into the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Sorry this chapter took so long, I was having a hard time writing Keyleth but I finally think I got her voice after listening to her playlists a couple of times. I probably listened to dirty paws 59 times while writing this chapter


	4. Vysoren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy May the 4th!

"Tea anyone?" Allura asked, moving to the kitchen. Keyleth sat on a long bench, holding a pillow in her lap. She watched as Allura, without using her hands, moved a teapot to the fire and brought out cups from a shelf. Keyleth had limited experience with the force but seeing someone use it so effortlessly for a basic task shocked her. 

Allura sat on a chair across from the bench Pike and Keyleth were sitting. Grog stood by the wall crossing his arms, though looking fairly relaxed. "We would love some tea. Thank you," Pike said.

Allura sighed, "Well, It’s good to see you both, but I'm sure you wouldn't come and find me if it weren't for a reason."

Without speaking, Pike pulled out a round metal object. It had lines all around it and twisted in intricate ways. There was a hole in the center where the hologram appeared. There stood a handsome man in white diplomatic robes. His hair was stark white and he wore glasses with 4 rims. 

"General Vysoren. Years ago you helped my family in the Calamity. Now I beg you to help us in this struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack, and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Whitestone failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion on this disk. My sister will know how to retrieve it. You must see Pike and her bodyguard safely delivered to her on Whitestone. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Allura Vysoren. You're my only hope."

Allura turned to Keyleth, "You must train in the ways of the Force if you want to accompany us to Whitestone."

"Train? Accompany you? Wait for just one second, I think you're mistaken. I'm not going anywhere," Keyleth said defensively. 

"You want to be a Jedi, correct?" Allura asked.

"Well, yes, kind of, but I can't leave. Any force sensitives are hunted, Jedi are killed on sight. I've been lucky to survive this long undetected. Probably because I don't know how to use the Force. Besides, I can't just leave my dad, I'm all he's got."

"I understand. It's ultimately your decision. But think about it, I can sense how much you want it. You're like your mother that way. " Allura said.

"You knew my mother?" Keyleth asked, her whole body shifted forward.

"Yes, she was one of my students a long time ago." Keyleth looked at her dumbfounded. "Looks can be deceiving, the Force has prolonged my life, though I've lived long enough to teach many students."

"Jedi have many teachers, near the end of your training you are assigned to a master. I was assigned only a few months before the order." Pike offered. 

“Let’s say I did go with you,” Keyleth inquired. “What would I even do? I know how to pilot but I’ve never left the planet. I can’t heal like Pike did, or even move a teacup. I would just be a burden.”

“We would teach you. I can’t tell you how many times a student saved my life. Why one time Delilah and ….” Allura trailed off as she said the name.

“Who’s Delilah,” Keyleth asked, looking around confused.

“She was a Jedi, long ago. One of my students. But she was seduced by the Dark Side.” Allura sipped her tea. 

Keyleth got the sense she shouldn’t prod. It was a sore subject. “I can help you secure a ship and pilot, but I don’t think I can come with you.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Allura finished her tea and sighed. “I’ll be out in a second, let me pack my things.” Allura walked into a back room and closed the door behind her. 

“Does this mean we can get going now?” Grog asked, making Keyleth jump. She had almost forgotten he was there. 

“Yep buddy, we’ll be out of here soon,” Pike said.

The three of them waited in silence until Allura came out with a large over-the-shoulder bag. She was about to speak when a distant boom echoed through, followed by a rumble. Something big had just taken off. The group rushed outside to see a large Empire ship followed by Y-Wings flying overhead and towards the city. The ships left trails in the sky that led right back to…

“DAD!” Keyleth screamed as she saw the distant village consumed in smoke. The group took off in Allura’s speeder and raced to Keyleth’s home. The closer they got the more smoke there was. They saw people running back and forth, grabbing what possessions they could carry in their arms. As they approached Keyleth’s house, she jumped out before the speeder even stopped. Her childhood home was crumbling and smoking but she ran in, frantically looking around. She saw it and before she could process it, she was dragging her dad outside. Once outside she took his pulse and felt the slow beat. Tears of relief streamed down her face as he began coughing. 

Pike caught up and put her hand on Keyleth’s dad. She took a deep breath and Korrin’s burns turned from red to light pink, and his breathing steadied. He opened his arms revealing what he had almost died trying to retrieve. A picture of his wife. 

Emotions overwhelmed Keyleth, guilt, sadness, fear, but mostly rage. She wanted revenge on the empire. They took her mother, they almost took her father, they would not take anything else from her.

“They were after you, they wanted the plans,” Korrin coughed looking at Pike. “I told them I didn’t know what they were talking about. They came out with flamethrowers.” Keyleth grabbed his hand. He looked up and smiled at his daughter before closing his eyes, and drifting off. His breathing was still labored but at least he was breathing.

“Allura,” Keyleth said. “I’m coming with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry I haven't really been posting. it's been crazy for everyone, I know. I've still had to go to work so I haven't had much time or been as inspired to write. However, I really want to write again and distract myself so let's do this. I'm almost done with the next chapter already so that's something. Anyways, with any luck, I'll get the next chapter out this week. May the 4th be with you!!!!!!!


	5. Cantina

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, another one in less than 24 hours. I just really, REALLY wanted to get this one out so here it is!

Keyleth, Pike, Grog, and Allura helped everyone get to the nearest village safely before taking off to Pyrah, the biggest city in Ashari. Keyleth’s dad had woken up again long enough for her to explain everything but she still felt torn. He gave his blessing but leaving the planet seemed like such a weird concept to her. 

As they flew out of the cool mountains of Zephrah, the terrain became hotter and desert-like. Pyrah stood as a huge city in the desert. There was always an empire presence in the city but there were Stormtroopers all over. Ones in clean white uniforms that hadn't changed color from the dirt and heat in the hottest place in Ashari. The people of Pyrah, nicknamed the Fire Ashari, went about their business as normal, though there was more tension in the air. 

As the group came into the city, they started getting looks from Stormtroopers, however, Allura would wave her hand and they would all turn away as if seeing nothing.

“Okay, how do you do that?” Keyleth asked.

“Simple suggestion. When you get good you can just suggest that they look the other way for a moment, or that we aren’t unusual.” Keyleth just stared at her in wonder.

“Hmm, well okay. So, if you take a left here, there is a cantina where most pilots come in between flights. They are always looking for work, I’m sure we can find someone here,” Keyleth rambled, directing them to the cantina.

When they arrived, the four of them split off in the bar so as to not draw attention to themselves. Grog went immediately to the bar and sized up the others. Pike and Allura started searching around and the potential pool. Keyleth stood shocked for a minute before deciding to go to the bar as well. She had been to bars like this, but this one had a reputation of being extra seedy. Plus when she had come here, it had been with more friends. She wasn’t sure what to do when she was acting alone. 

A large Twi'lek approached Keyleth, “What's a pretty girl like you doing here alone?” He asked, too close for comfort. He reached around Keyleth’s waist but before she could do anything, a different hand grabbed the guy's arm. 

“If you want to use that hand to jack off tomorrow, I’d recommend keeping it to yourself, Dickhead.” Keyleth turned to see a slender, long black-haired man holding a dagger in one hand and the guy's arm in the other. 

“What the fuck did you just call me!” The twi’lek said.

“He called you a dickhead,” Grog said, approaching from the other side. “And if you’d like to keep those ballsacks on your skull, You’d better fuckin’ go.”

The dark-haired man released the twi’lek, who muttered something under his breath before exiting the bar. Keyleth shot a quick “Thank you,” to Grog, who nodded and returned to his place at the bar. Keyleth turned looking back at the other guy.

“You didn’t need to do that,” Keyleth said. “I could have handled him.”

The guys smiled, pulling his black hair into a ponytail. “I know, but that guy deserves to get his entire arm chopped off. Plus it gave me a chance to grab this.” He held up his hand, holding up a coin purse bulging with money. 

“How did you do that?” Keyleth asked, sure she didn’t see him take it. 

“Nimble hands,” He said with a shrug. “The guy deserves more, but I think it will take him some time before he realizes. My name is Vax by the way.”

“Keyleth,” She says, introducing herself. “So what brings you here?” 

“Business mostly, I’m supposed to be meeting someone here about a thing,” Vax said with a half-grin. 

“Well that's specific,” Keyleth chuckled. 

“Yeah, well, I tend to play things close to the chest.” Vax smiled then looked over to the side. “It looks like the lady you came in with just found my sister.” Keyleth turned to see Allura talking to a woman with long dark hair. She looked almost identical to Vax with the same dark hair and gray eyes, though she did look very feminine. 

“Wow, are you guys like twins, or something?” Keyleth asked.

“Yeah, we're twins, though sometimes I'm not 100 percent sure we're related.” Vax began walking towards them before looking back at Keyleth. “You coming?”

“Um,” Keyleth hesitated.

“The small one and the big guy are already walking over. If I know anything about my sister, it's that she’s already made a deal with the blonde one over there.” Vax pointed out Pike and Grog walking to the table that Allura and Vax’s sister was sitting at, so Keyleth followed.

Vax took a seat next to his sister, followed directly by Pike and Keyleth taking seats at the table as well. Grog stood behind Pike, mirroring a giant Wookie standing behind the female twin. 

“Well, now that we’re all here I think some introductions are in order.” The woman said. “My name Is Vex’ahlia and this is my brother, Vax’ildan.”

“Though most people just call us Vex and Vax,” Vax said.

“I’m confused,” Grog said, looking back and forth between the two of them.

“That’s alright, it takes most people a while to catch on,” Vax offered. 

“Right, I think your boyfriend still calls you Vex sometimes,” Vex’ahlia said with a wink

“Oh my gods, he’s not my boyfriend, and can we not right now.” The twins looked at each other before coming to a silent agreement. “Oh and this is Trinket, he’s the muscle.” Vax pointed to the Wookie.

“Well, I am Laura O’Vord,” Allura said, introducing her fake name. “And this is Grog, Pike, and Keyleth.” 

“Just so we’re all in on the loop,” Vex said, “You just need transportation for the four of you to Whitestone, and that's it?”

“Yes, we just want transport outside of the Empire’s eye,” Allura said, and the twins nodded. 

“It wouldn’t be our first smuggling job, but it will cost extra. Our ship is probably the fastest in the galaxy, and staying away from Empire ships is within our range.” Vex said. Vax was sitting back in his seat, watching the group carefully, though Keyleth noticed that he spent more time looking at her than anyone else in the group. “We’re looking at about ten thousand.”

“Ten thousand, you could nearly buy a ship with that amount,” Keyleth tried to argue. 

Allura’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “I’ll pay two thousand up front, and fifteen when we get to Whitestone.” Keyleth and the twins' jaws nearly dropped to the floor. The two looked at each other before Vex spoke again.

“Deal. Get your stuff together, we leave in an hour. Meet us at docking bay 94.” Vax said, and with that, the group stood up. 

“We’ll be there,” Allura said. She led the four of them out the door, and whispered to Keyleth, “Know where to sell a speeder?”

Vex watched as they left, reading The woman’s lips. So, they don’t have the money on them, she thought. “17 thousand, that’s enough to pay our debt.”

“Yeah, and then some,” Vax whispered back. She could see him tense up a bit. Ten thousand was a high number to ask in the first place, she expected they’d try and go lower, not almost double it. 

“You worry too much brother,” Vex said. “Trinket, would you kindly get the ship ready for take-off. We’ll meet you there shortly.” The Wookie growled his agreement before leaving the cantina. 

“He’s here,” Vax whispered, motioning to the door with his head. Vex looked up to see the familiar blue man. He didn’t wait, as soon as he met the twins' gaze he walked straight over. 

“You’re late,” Vax said.

“Not as late as you are on your debts,” The man scoffed.

“So they send The Rat,” Vex snarked back.

“I get the job done,” Obby stated, sitting down and pulling out his blaster from under the table. 

“Well, you can tell your boss we’ve got the money. We’re doing a quick job and right back here to settle our score.” Vex offered. 

“Well, that's too bad, because the Spirling is tired of waiting. He put a bounty on your heads so large, every collector in the galaxy will be after you, and I’ve come to collect.” Obby said. Before he could pull the trigger Vex lifted her bow. As she pulled the string back, red energy formed, shooting Obby through the chest when the string was released.  
The music stopped and everyone looked in their direction for a second, then, like nothing had happened, the crowd began talking again and the music resumed. “Sorry about the mess.” Vax flipped a stolen coin to the bartender before the twins left the cantina together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the twins. I really liked this chapter but wanted to explain a couple of things. I like twi'leks but it was the first Star Wars race I thought of, and Vax is kinda mean with names. He calls Dragonborn lizards, Kraghammer Dwarf-Town, and stuff like that. I think he'd call twi'leks dickheads...   
> Also rewatching the cantina scene, luke was accosted by a bigger dude and got his arm chopped off by Obi-Wan which was not something I remembered from watching it originally but it was a thing. 
> 
> That being said, THE TWINS ARE HERE!!!!! They are my favorite and I would fight anyone for them. Thanks for reading!


	6. Whitestone

Vex and Vax made their way to the loading docks, stopping for supplies along the way. Vax handed the stolen coin purse to his sister, who stashed it in her bag. When they got to the loading bay, the twins saw it at the same time. A small bag purple bag with a gold symbol that matched the tattoo on Vax’s back was pinned to the wall with a dagger. They looked at each other, but Vax grabbed the bag. He dealt with the clasp, no exceptions. As Vex approached their ship, Vax pulled out a small sheet of paper from the bag. In long, wispy cursive, Vax read the note with familiar writing. 

As long as she stays out of our clasp, your debt is still owed. The clock is ticking.

Inside the bag along with the note was an antique clock that ticked quietly. A time limit wasn’t a good thing with the Clap, but he planned on paying the debt within days, hopefully, the clock didn’t stop ticking by then. Vax pocketed the clock and the dagger, then walked through the door where he saw the ship. The Deathwalker’s Ward gleamed in brilliance. 

It was Vex’s ship, but that didn’t mean Vax didn’t love it too. It was the closest thing he had to a home. The ebony ship had multiple panels open as Trinket worked on her. Trinket growled a greeting, and Vax nodded back. Trinket was young for a Wookie. Vex had saved him as a youngling in a story she never repeated to her brother. She practically raised the thing, though she was young when it happened. Vex had learned the language quickly since Trinket couldn’t speak Common, though he understood it. Vax could never figure out the language, even after the years, but he had learned how to read basic things, like emotions and greetings. 

“How is she, big guy?” Vax asked. “Ready to go?” Trinket growled and waved his hand in a so-so motion. Vax figured that he meant that it would take some luck, but not a full-on miracle. Vax spilled the bag of parts they had gotten and got to work on another panel. By the time the passengers arrived, Vax, Vex, and Trinket were all covered in sweat and grease. 

“This is the ship?” The redhead asked, “ It’s… well, it’s-”  
“A piece of shit,” Grog said, cocking his head to the side, like a confused puppy.

“I’ll have you know that this ship is the fastest in the Galaxy, and with the color, were hard to spot even without the cloaking turned on,” Vex said, very protective of her ship. 

“It will do, how long until we are ready to-” Allura was cut off by a blaster sound. Everyone turned to see Storm Troopers piling into the loading bay. The twins made fast work of closing up the panels on the ship. 

“Trinket, get them on board,” Vex yelled as more and more piled in. The group all made their way inside, guarded by the Wookie. Grog looked mad that he was running but he complied, following Pike on board. Vax closed the last panel and pulled out his vibro-daggers. He impaled three Troopers through the helmet before they magnetically shot back to his belt. Vex used her bow-caster to cover Vax as he darted in. once inside, he hit the close door button, then lifted Vex inside. 

“Everyone, find a seat, it's going to be a bumpy ride,” Vax yelled, the twins sprinting their way to the cockpit. Trinket was already turning everything on, Vax took her seat at the pilot chair. Since Trinket was already in the co-pilot's seat, Vax took the weapons. The passengers all found a seat just in time as the ship lifted off the ground.

Vax activated the shields and watched below from his screen. More Storm Troopers stood below, shooting up with their blasters. He aimed down but waited. “Hold on,” Vex yelled and hit the accelerator. The ship rose, gaining speed as they raced towards the cloudless sky. Vax looked around at the passengers, Pike and Grog looked relaxed, as if they’d done it a million times before. Allura had a slight smile on her face as the stars came into view. Keyleth, on the other hand, was pressed up to the back of her chair. Her jaw was clenched, eyes wide, and clenched fists turned white. 

“You doing good, Keyleth?” Vax asked.

“Fine,” She said through clenched teeth. “I’ve just never left the planet before.” The ship sped up, once we saw the planet well behind us, Vex kicked in the hyperdrive. The stars turned into blurs before we shot off. The Deathwalkers Ward stabilized in hyperspace and everyone began taking off their buckles. 

“Make yourself at home,” Vax said, “We’ll be at it for a while.”  
______________________________________________________

Percy was various shades of black and blue when they brought him to the bridge. They had tried more methods of torture than his worn brain could remember. On the bridge, Delilah stood, looking out the window, her masked husband by her side, though facing his direction. It was a different woman who approached to speak to him though, a stern woman in gray uniforms that Percy recognized from senate meetings.  
“Ripley, I should have known you had something to do with this.” Percy spat. Dr. Anna Ripley as he had once known her had been a masterful scientist, though she used her skill to gain ranks in the Empires order, building weapons for them and destroying places she once called home. 

“Yes, I was sad to see your name amongst the Rebel traitors, but the Emperor will have his way, no need to fight it anymore. Your execution is inevitable.” Ripley said.

“You won’t kill me, not while I have the information you need,” Percy smirked. Silas Briarwood pulled out his lightsaber but Ripley raised her hand stopping him. “I didn’t realize the almighty Briawoods took orders, I thought they just took what they want.”

Silas looked close to taking the bait, but then he folded his arms. “There are procedures Percy, you especially should know that.” 

Screaming, Percy heard it again, always in his head. He saw the mask, smelled the blood. Delilah wrapping teenage Percy in her arms, his parents dead at his feet. Percy snapped himself out of it. 

“Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. We’ve been given a deadline and the Emperor wants you disposed of. I just brought you up here to witness the christening of our new battle station.” Ripley said, pacing calmly around the room. “Once they see what we can do, no one will resist.”

“The tighter you grip the systems, the more will slip through your fingers,” Percy said.

“I think you overestimate people. When it comes down to self-interest, no one will risk it.” As she spoke she walked closer to Percy. “However, being generous, we’ve decided to let you choose the target of our first attack. We are currently positioned right above your home planet of Whitestone.” 

Percy could feel his breath inhale sharply. “You can’t. The planet is not armed, it has no military presence.”

“You want another target, a military target? Then name the system.” Ripley demanded. “Where is the rebel base.”

Percy had to make a split-second decision. The location of an abandoned planet with a rebel base. One that had been abandoned but was still in working order. It would be a loss to the resistance but better than his sister dying on Whitestone. “Glintshore. The base is on Glintshore.” 

“See, Lord Briarwood, he can be useful.” Anna turned to a group of men sitting at control desks. “Continue with the operation, fire when ready.”  
“What, NO! I gave you the location of the rebel base, these people are innocent!” Percy pleaded. 

“Even if Glintshore turns out to be the true rebel base, it isn’t big enough for the example we need,” Ripley said. “Make sure he watches, then return him to his cell.”

The guards on either side of Percy dragged him to a window. He got one last good look at his home planet before a black beam shot at it. It was quiet, too quiet for the pain he felt as he watched the planet collapsing in on itself as if being absorbed by the beam. When there was nothing left but a glowing black sphere, it turned to white then exploded, sending rock flying through the space that once was Percy’s home. 

He heard the screams again, not just his family this time, but thousands. Hundreds of thousands of screams pounded in his mind and he collapsed under the anguish. Percy dreamed of screams, black smoke, and a deep voice repeating one word. Revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took so long again. I hate making excuses but I feel bad for updating so infrequently. It took me so damn long to come up with a name for the ship that I was happy with. I was going to make this whole thing how the ship was like Vex's broom. Like they stole it from Gern Blanston and its name was like Death Candle or something but it was stupid so I scrapped the idea and just used the Deathwalkers Ward, which is a badass name. Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope that by posting this I can take your mind off the shit that's going down in the world even if it's just for a minute. Thanks you guys, I hope to see you soon.


	7. Training

Keyleth didn’t know what to feel. Fear, excitement, sick, it all mixed together as the ship coasted into hyperspace. 

“While we’ve got some time, I’d like to train with you two,” Allura gestured to Pike and Keyleth, grabbing her bag. 

“The cargo deck is open right now, that's usually where my brother and I train.” Vex gave directions, which the four passengers followed. The cargo deck was large, and with no cargo, gave a great space. The walls had black marks from blasts all around, and a couple of targets peppered with various sizes of holes. 

“Let’s get started, then. Pike, I’d like to see where you're at first,” Allura said, putting down her bag and pulling out her lightsaber. Pike dropped her cloak and activated her lightsaber, Allura did the same in response. 

The two women went at it, yellow and blue light shone through the room. It was mesmerizing to watch, like a deadly dance. Both were very good, and even though Pike was considerably smaller than Allura, she didn’t let her get the upper hand. Keyleth couldn’t help but think that the fight was almost beautiful. 

It ended with Allura winning, the saber inches away from the smaller woman's neck. They both deactivated their lightsabers panting. “You said that you never finished your training Pike?” Allura asked.

“Not formally, but I’ve had a lot of practice,” Pike said, her chipper voice seemed a bit more melancholy than usual. 

“She’s a Monstah!” Grog enthused and gave Pike a high five, which for him meant bending over so Pike could reach his hand. 

“She definitely is. I have something I want to show you.” Allura pulled open her bag and reverently brought out a stack of folded cloth with another lightsaber sitting on top. “These belonged to my wife, Kima. She was a Jedi Temple Guard, though she seemed very rough she had a softer side and was a great healer. I think she would want you to have these robes.”

“I- I don’t know what to say,” Pike said, taking the stack. 

“This is a double-bladed lightsaber. For now, continue to use yours, but I’d like to train you to use one of these as well.” Allura smiled at the small woman.

“Thank you,” Pike said reverently and sat down next to Grog. 

“Makes sense why you didn’t want the empire knowing about you guys.” A voice came from the hallway, and Keyleth turned to see the twins standing in the doorway watching. She hadn’t noticed them come in.

Vax continued, “Don’t worry, Trinkets got the control so we're still on course.” 

Keyleth smiled and said, “That's not what I’m worried about.” 

“If we turned you into the Empire, then how would we get paid?” Vex said and winked at Keyleth. 

“You can always count on my sister’s greed,” Vax said, earning him a punch in the arm. 

“Well don’t stop on our account,” Vex said, and with that, Allura reached back in her bag and pulled out a small sphere. 

“This is a training droid, and this is a blindfold.” Allura walked behind Keyleth and tied a cloth around her eyes. “Activate your lightsaber.”

Keyleth pulled her mother's lightsaber off her belt. It took her a few seconds to find the switch then turn it on. Without warning, she felt a stinging pain on her shoulder, like someone had stuck her with a needle, but it faded just as quickly as it came.

“What the hell was that?” Keyleth yelled, jumping back.   
“It’s the training droid. It shoots mild blasts at you. Your job is to block them.” Allura said. 

“How am I supposed to block them when I can’t see a thin- OW!” Keyleth was interrupted by another pain on her leg that time. 

“You have to feel it. Trust the Force to guide you.” 

Keyleth wanted to scream, again with the Force. It was always 'you just have to feel it' but nobody ever explained how to do that. "Shit!" She yelled as another one hit her in the torso. Keyleth moved the saber around in front of her, thinking she might just get lucky.

“A Jedi can feel the force coursing through them. It can partially control you, as you can partially control it.” Pike said as if reciting something she had heard long ago. 

“It all kinda sounds ridiculous to me. An all-powerful thing that controls our destiny, and can let a couple of people move shit around,” Vax said. 

“You don’t believe in the Force?” Pike asked.

“I’ve been around the Galaxy and seen all kinds of crazy fuckery. All I know is my destiny isn’t set by magic energy.” Vax said. 

“What about you Vex,” Grog asked. 

“Well, I’m not as sure as my brother is about the subject,” Vex said. “I honestly don’t know, and I’m content with that.”

“The Force is a hard concept to grasp,” Allura explained. Keyleth tried to pay attention but it was hard when she was being hit constantly. She knew if she could just take the blindfold off she could do it. “For me, it’s when I’m at one with the universe can I feel it. I think of the moment in time I felt most whole. I don’t think the Force carries any emotions or has a mind the way we do. It’s just an energy, a feeling like everything is right.” 

As Allura spoke Keyleth imagined flying through the Ashari mountains. The cold wind biting her face, feeling the most free and whole she ever felt. 

It clicked.

Just for a second, she could feel… it. There was a sensation in her body, like the feeling she got when she flew. It was like the wind was giving her a hug and everything was just right. Her hands moved before she told them to, just in time to deflect a blast. Two more came swiftly after, but her hands moved the lightsaber in the perfect position to block it. 

There was a quiet in the room. “You did it, Keyleth,” Allura said. Keyleth took off her blindfold in time to see Vax’s stunned yet impressed look. 

Vax cleared his throat. “Must have gotten lucky,” He said, then broke eye contact with Keyleth.

“In all my years, I’ve learned that luck doesn’t-” Allura started, but then...

It was a cold feeling. Something hurt but Keyleth couldn’t place it. Allura dropped to her knees, hands to her chest. Pike grabbed her face. Even the twins reacted, their faces fell and they looked at each other. It was like someone simultaneously punched everyone in the gut, the only one who seemed unaffected was Grog, who got up and pulled out his ax. 

“What's going on, why’s everyone hurt?” Grog asked, then looked at his little friend. “No one hurts my best buddy Pike.”

“What was that?” Keyleth asked. 

“The screaming,” Pike whispered.

“What screaming?” Vex asked, looking around at everyone.

“It was like thousands of voices all cried out at once, and then suddenly stopped,” Allura said. “The last time I felt something like this was when the extermination order happened. Hundreds of Jedi slain in the same moment. This… this-” Allura’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“It was like a Force shockwave,” Pike explained. The twins looked at each other again, Vax’s expression was more concerned than before. 

“Something terrible just happened,” Keyleth said. She didn’t know what or how she knew, but she knew something in the universe wasn’t right. Whatever it was had passed, but it left Keyleth with a bad feeling. 

It was like a hurt deep in her chest. It felt like when she had walked outside that night as a child. She saw her father crying and felt that pain. Before she even knew what had happened, it's like her heart knew a piece of it had died. There wasn’t a body, just blood, gore, and a severed hand holding her lightsaber, but Keyleth had cried even before seeing it. 

Allura stood back up, but she looked like she had aged 10 years in a second. She brushed off her blue robes and wiped away the tears. “Well, we’ll figure out whatever it was soon enough. I’m sure they’ll be news on Whitestone. I’d like to still train with you as much as possible Keyleth.” 

Keyleth nodded and picked up her lightsaber, which she hadn’t realized she dropped. Everyone else dispersed without saying a word, left to their own theories of what could have caused it. 

Try as she might, Keyleth couldn’t get the feeling back. She had felt the Force, for a moment it was amazing, but then it hurt. She saw how distraught Allura and Pike had both been. Was it because they were more sensitive to the Force. If that was the case, did Keyleth really want to have it?

It wasn’t long before everyone was called back to the cockpit to take their seats. They had almost arrived. It was less than a minute that the ship kicked out of hyperspace. All around them were giant rocks but no planet. 

“Why are we in an asteroid belt? There aren’t any in the Whitestone system.” Pike said, looking around. Keyleth looked at the rocks, noting that the asteroids seemed to be of a very pale color. 

“The coordinates are correct. Whitestone should be right in front of us.” Vex said, pressing various buttons, and checking screens. “I don’t understand.”

“What's that?” Grog asked, pointing in the distance. Keyleth looked where he was pointing and saw a shape. For a second, she thought it must have been a moon, except this was pyramid-shaped. It was dark gray, but where the light hit it, it reflected a brilliant green.

"I think… it's a ship?" Keyleth said though she questioned it herself. 

"No ship is that big," Vex said, studying it too. "Maybe it's a space station?"

"The plans," Pike whispered. "I think I remember the Prince saying something about a Battlestation. That's what the plans were for." She looked at Grog, her face as white as her hair.

All of a sudden, the ship jerked forward. It started moving towards the pyramid. 

"What's going on?" Keyleth asked. "Why are we moving towards it?"

"It has us in a tractor beam. I can't pull away," Vex said, furiously trying to steer the ship away. 

Keyleth got that bad feeling again, as they approached the massive pyramid. An opening appeared right in front of them, and they were pulled directly into the station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this chapter! I don't know what else to say, I just really want to know what everyone else thinks. Thanks for sticking with it.


	8. Inside the Ziggurat pt 1

The group made quick work as they were being pulled to the pyramid. Vex and Vax changed the ship logs, saying that they abandoned ship early on. Luckily most of the escape pods were gone and hadn’t been replaced, so it looked conveniently empty. Trinket led the passengers to the hidden cargo holds throughout the ship and packed away anything that was valuable or noticeable. Within a minute, the ship looked completely abandoned.

They waited until they felt the ship come to a stop. Everyone was silent for a long time. They heard footsteps above them and voices talking over comms. No one said anything until the last two troopers left the ship, then everyone popped out. 

“Lucky you had these hideouts,” Grog said, pulling Pike out of the one they shared.

“We use them for smuggling,” Vex said, then winked at the big man. 

“Now what,” Keyleth asked, her green eyes darting between everyone. Vax thought she looked annoyingly cute as she absentmindedly pulled strands of hair out of the antler circlet she wore. He looked over at his sister, asking her the same question without words. Vex gave the slightest shrug, indicating she didn’t know either. 

“Well,” Vax piped in. “Were stuck here. Even if we could take off, we wouldn’t make it past that tractor beam.”

“Leave that to me,” Allura said. She walked towards the entrance of the ship, and everyone followed. “Get ready,” She whispered. 

Allura looked outside and made a gesture with her hand. “One second, I thought I saw something.” Vax heard the voice of a stormtrooper.

“Don’t ruin the uniform,” Allura said. Understanding Vax pulled out a rope. As soon as the white uniform came into view, Vax jumped, wrapping the rope around the man’s neck with insane speed. He didn’t have time to scream before the stormtrooper slumped over.

They made quick work, killing three before they were worried about causing suspicion. The twins and Keyleth adorned the uniforms as they most fit the body types. Vax snuck out, followed closely by the rest of the group. Vex stayed behind to sell the illusion. 

It was only up a flight of stairs to the control room and yet, Vax heard loud footfalls behind him. He turned to see that it wasn’t the half-giant, Grog, or even Trinket that made the noise, but the tiny Pike. He cringed with each footfall, swearing she must have been trying to blow their cover. 

Vax gave his sister the signal. She nodded before waving up to the control room. She must have gotten their attention because she tapped her ear. 

“His comms must be down, I’ll go get replace them.” Vax heard a muffled voice from beyond the door. He looked back and raised his blaster. The rest of the group got the message. 

As soon as the door opened, all hell broke loose. Vax shot at every person he saw, Keyleth did the same with her blaster. Pike, Grog, and Allura stepped inside with their weapons ready. In six seconds, everyone who had been in that room was dead. 

Vex rushed to catch up with them and closed the doors behind her. She pulled off her helmet, followed immediately by her twin and Keyleth. Grog began to pile up the bodies, but Vex stopped him. Vax didn’t have to ask, he just began searching all of the bodies. They couldn’t find much, just a couple of units on each person. It looked like most didn’t carry money with them, at least not while they worked. 

Vax gave what he collected to his sister before moving to the control panel, where Pike had been fiddling. “Find anything, Pickle?” He asked. She made a face at the nickname but shrugged it off. 

“Yes. I found out how to disable the tractor beam,” Pike said. Allura looked at the directions. 

“I’ve got this, wait for me, I’ll be back within a half-hour,” Allura said, moving to leave.

“Wait, let me come with you,” Keyleth said. 

“No, it’s dangerous and I need to be able to get in and out of there undetected. It’s easier to use a mind trick for one person than it would be a group,” Allura explained. Keyleth looked sad, but she backed off. 

“Wait, there is a bunch of extra comms in here. I can find a frequency no one else is using so we can stay in contact,” Pike said. It took her a couple of minutes but she gave Allura one set and put another one in her ear. 

Allura nodded her thanks, then turned and opened the door. “The Force be with you, always,” She said and left. 

“Great. So we just sit here and wait while she does all the cool stuff. Fuckin’ Jedi,” Vex said, leaning back in a nearby chair. 

“I don’t like sitting and waiting. I want to go kill more things,” Grog huffed, moving the bodies into a side room. 

“It’s okay buddy, we’ll find some- Sweet Sarenrae!” Pike exclaimed, still messing with the control panel. “He’s here!”

“Who’s here?” Vax asked looking back at the screen. 

“Prince Percival is here. He’s in detention block C and- oh no. He’s set to be executed later today.”

“Who’s the Prince,” Vex asked, sitting forward in her seat. 

“He’s the whole reason we’re here,” Keyleth said. “He gave Pike and Grog plans that needed to get to Whitestone.”

Vex nodded. They had explained the truth to the twins on the way to Whitestone, seeing as they already knew they were a group with a few Jedi. 

“We have to save him,” Pike said, turning to leave. 

“Wait, just a second,” Vax interjected. “Laura, Allura whatever her name is said to stay here. Plus I’m sorry but you are not the most stealthy of people.” He thought back to the clanging up the stairs and shivered. 

“I can’t let him die,” Pike said. 

“I’ll go,” Keyleth suggested. “I can be stealthy, and the Vex and Vax can come with me. We’ll need someone to guide us where to go, so you stay here with Grog and help direct everyone.” Vax thought she made a good argument, even if she did point to the wrong twin when she said their names. 

“Why would I sacrifice my life for some guy I don’t know,” Vex said, standing up. “Besides, Vax is right. Blondey told us to stay here.”

“I thought you didn’t want to sit around here while the ‘Jedi had all the fun’,” Keyleth said. Vax couldn’t believe it, but he agreed with the annoying redhead. He caught her gaze and rubbed his fingers together, the universal way of signing money. She seemed to catch on. “Besides, he’s a prince. He’ll probably pay a reward for saving his life.”

This got his twin’s attention. Vax loved his sister to death, but she was one of the most greedy people he’d ever come across. Money always made her think about something twice. She looked at him. Vax shrugged, “She makes a point.” was all he said. 

“Fine, we’ll go. But we want comms too. And if it comes down to saving me and my brother or some prince, it won’t even be a decision,” Vex said, then grabbed her Stormtrooper helmet.  
Pike made enough so everyone could have a set of comms. The three disguised ones all put on their masks and got ready. 

“So how do we march into the cellblock?” Vex asked. 

“I have an idea,” Keyleth said and held up a pair of manacles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote an outline for the whole "inside the death star" stuff and only got to one of the first plot points before reaching this... so this will end up spanning multiple chapters. Also, that way its less wait between chapters otherwise this would take literally so long. Anyways, thanks for reading, you guys are great. Stay safe during the apocalypse and I'll see you soon!


	9. Inside the Ziggurat pt 2

Allura checked the holo map that she had grabbed before leaving. After confirming the next couple of directions, she put the map back in her robe pocket. She peeked past a corner to see if anyone was in the hallway, and saw one Stormtrooper standing guard. 

Allura waved her hand, concentrating on a thought, “ _look to your left”._ Allura had experienced it before when she had taught Kima how to do mind tricks. The trick was to be subtle enough that they didn’t know it wasn’t their thought. A mundane action was always the easiest. It wasn’t even a thought in your head, so much as just an instinct to do it. Kima never got the subtlety of it though. Allura smiled at the memory of Kima trying, but Allura could always hear the exact command. Though the harsher method still worked, it usually didn’t take long for the person to realize that their thoughts had been invaded. 

When the Stormtrooper turned, Allura bolted down the hallway and made the turn before the soldier had turned back. She released the breath she had been holding to maintain her stealth and continued on her way. 

* * *

“I know Trinket, it won't take much longer,” Vex whispered to her best friend, holding one of his manacled arms, her twin holding the other. The red-headed girl led the way, following the instructions Pike told them through their comms. 

“Get into that elevator, it goes to the prison floors,” Pike’s voice sounded. The group walked to the elevator. Keyleth hit a button and they waited. The woman looked uncomfortable, looking at everyone, and adjusting her blaster too much. However, Vex didn’t see anyone pay them any extra attention. A couple of Stormtroopers had given Trinket a second glance but no one stopped them. Vex wished she could see their faces. Read their lips, their reactions, but then, maybe that's why they all wore masks. 

The elevator opened and a woman stepped out. She wore a gray commanding uniform and had a blaster at her side, unlike anything Vex had seen before. She glanced at the Wookie, before making eye contact with Vex.

“Where are you taking this creature?” She asked. 

“To the detention level, Ma’am,” Vex said. She knew the best way to lie was to tell as much truth as she could. “He was found on a ship we brought in, we were told to bring him to the cells until they can question him with a translator.” Looking satisfied, the woman walked away, leaving the group to enter the elevator undisturbed. 

“That was close,” Vax remarked when the elevator doors closed. Keyleth pressed a button and they started moving down. 

“How much longer?” Trinket complained, lifting his arms to show his manacles. “I don’t like it.” 

“Not much longer, I’ll let you know,” Vex said, understanding the Wookie’s words. She knew most people had a hard time with that language, including her brother, but it had always come easy to Vex. Maybe it was her bond with Trinket, but she just knew what her best friend told her. “Are they still loose enough to break out of?”

Trinket nodded and put his arms back down. 

“Pike, where do we go when this elevator stops?” Vex asked into her comms. 

“Okay, okay, okay. When the elevator stops, you’ll see a desk with three guards. They control the cells from there, so it’s up to you,” Pike said. Just then the elevator stopped and the scene Pike described was in front of them. One of the guards looked to be a higher ranking than the other two Stormtroopers, wearing the gray uniform of a Moff. As the group approached, all three guards looked up at them. 

“What are you doing with this… _thing_?” The Moff asked. Vex was glad she was wearing a mask so she didn’t give away the glare she was giving the man. 

“A prisoner transfer. From another cell block,” Keyleth said, but her voice was a little too high pitched, too unsure. Vex could see the man was immediately suspicious. 

“I was not aware of any transfers. I’ll have to clear it first,” He said, stepping towards the control panel comms. He didn’t have time to press a button. Both Vex and her brother shot him at the same time, killing him instantly. The Stormtroopers began firing as Trinket broke through his bonds. The Stormtroopers missed, hitting walls and making the alarms start blaring. Keyleth shot one of them, getting them square in the shoulder but not outright killing him. Vax disappeared from view while Vex finished off the one Keyleth had hit. The last one fell to the ground, Vax standing behind him completely unnoticed. 

“Maybe you should leave the talking to me,” Vex said to Keyleth before moving to the control panel. She took off her mask and began looking through the directory. “Your prince is in 2187. Go get him, I’ll see if I can hold them off.”

Keyleth ran down the hall. Vax started going after her but stopped and looked back at his sister. “I’m fine,” She said, “Go help the redhead, I doubt she can pick a lock.” Vax nodded and chased after the fledgling Jedi and Vex returned to the control panel. She pressed the button to the comms, stopping the alarm. “Situation under control, everything is normal.”

“What happened!” A voice shouted back. 

“We had a slight weapon malfunction, but we fixed it. We’re all fine now,” Vex said, trying to keep her voice steady. 

“We’re sending a squad up,” The voice replied.

“Negative, we’ve got it all under control. We wouldn’t want to waste anyone's time…” Vex was struggling to come up with anything. 

“Who is this? What’s your operating number?” Vex cursed. It was too late. She grabbed her blaster and shot the comms. 

"Boring conversation anyway,” She said to herself. Trinket followed her as they ran down the hallway to meet up with Vax and Keyleth. “We’re going to have company!”

“What? Winking didn’t work over comms?” Vax joked as he finished hacking into the lock. The door slid open revealing a man laying on a metal bed. He was wearing a white tunic and dark pants. He looked like he had been beaten, with fresh bruises all along his pale skin. He wore glasses that magnified his bright blue eyes, but they were slightly hidden under unkempt snow-white hair. 

“Come to finish me off?” He asked then glanced at Vex, who had abandoned the Stormtrooper helmet. His eyes pierced into her soul, beaten and bloody as he was, he still had an air to him, one that reminded Vex of the snobby rich kids she had been forced to grow up with, but it was more natural. Without effort, she knew this man was royalty. 

Keyleth pulled off her helmet. “ My name is Keyleth. We’re here to rescue you.” She said, seemingly just as stunned by the prince as Vex was. “We came here with Pike, Grog, and Allura Visoryn.”

“Allura? You found her? And Pike and Grog?” The man Pike had called Percival shot up from his bed. “First things first, I need my guns.”

“We can get you a new blaster, people are coming,” Vax said, discarding his helmet as well. As if on cue they heard blaster shots. 

“They’re here!” Trinket called out, shooting his own blaster at the approaching Stormtroopers, killing the first one. 

"Mine are irreplaceable, we need to find them," Percy stated matter of factly. 

“Looks like we won’t be going out that way,” Vex said, readying her own blaster, wishing she had her bow instead.

“You call this a rescue mission?” Percy asked, as more blasts came from the hallway. “Looks like you’ve cut off our only exit.”

“Would you like it better in your prison cell, _Your Highness_?” Vex asked, overemphasizing the sarcasm. 

“Pike, is any other way out of here?” Keyleth asked, bringing a hand to the comm in her ear. 

“No, the main entrance is the only way in or out. ” Pike said. “Plus all the systems have been alerted to your presence. We’re doing what we can but-”

“Pike, we’ve got company,” Grog said, his voice muted slightly coming from Pike's comm. 

“Shit! Sorry-” She was cut off by the sound of blasters.

“Looks like we’re on our own,” Vax said, handing his blaster to Percival and pulling out his daggers from underneath the uniform. He flipped a switch that activated the returning mechanisms and made the daggers vibrate with a slight hum. 

“I’ve got an idea,” Percy said, shooting a vent, causing it to open. “Get in.” Vex looked at her twin brother. They both knew there was no other option, so Vax took the lead. He was followed by Keyleth, then Percy, Vex, and Trinket bringing up the rear. 

* * *

“Shit! Sorry-” Pike was cut off by a blaster narrowly missing her face. The door had opened revealing about 8 Stormtroopers. Grog yelled, pulling out his great ax and swung at the first one. With two swings he sliced the man in half. Pike pulled out her lightsaber, casting bright yellow light in the room. She deflected all the blasts that came her way, then ran to meet them. While she stabbed one, Grog would slash another one. He took a couple of blasts but none of them even seemed to phase the barbarian. Even though they had been outnumbered, they quickly dispatched the whole squad. 

“We should probably get moving. We’ll find another computer to hack into, there will probably be more coming soon,” Pike explained. 

Grog nodded, calming down out of his battle rage. “Shouldn’t we stay close to the ship?”

“We’ll try, but they still need our help.” Grog nodded and picked Pike up, placing her on his shoulder before running out of the room. The pair turned a few corners until they both felt safely out of the way of whatever reinforcements would be on their way. 

Grog put Pike down in front of a droid port in a hallway. “This won’t be as good as the control room but it should help still give me some access.” Pike entered an adapter that allowed her to use the port like a droid would, using a plugin connected to a small screen. She put her hand to her ear, “Can you hear me, guys?” 

* * *

“Can you hear me, guys?” Pike’s voice rang in Keyleth’s ear. Keyleth sighed out of relief. 

“Yes, we can hear you Pike,” Keyleth said. “Can you tell us where we are and how to get out of these vents?” 

“Yeah, give me a second, I’m trying to use the comms to pinpoint your location… got it,” Pike said. “You guys are in the vents, there are a couple ways out.”

“Where would they keep the prisoners' weapons?” Vax asked, still crawling forward in the vents. 

“They wouldn’t be with the other normal weapons or belongings,” Percy said. He didn’t have a comm Keyleth guessed he still could get most of what was going on from just the one side of the conversation. “Ask Pike how to get to Moff Ripley’s chambers.” 

“Pike, did you hear that?” Keyleth asked. 

“I heard enough. If you go through the vents there is a shortcut to get there. There will be an intersection coming up. Go left.” Pike instructed into their earpieces. Vax was still in the lead so all Keyleth could do was follow him. Lucky the vents were surprisingly big so they could crawl comfortably through them, with the exception of Trinket, who seemed to have a harder time but still squeezed through at the back of the pack. 

They followed Pike’s directions, mostly leading them towards the center of the ship. “Okay, okay, okay. So there’s this big room that the vent you’re in will let out at. On the opposite side should be another vent, but it's on a different level so you’ll have to climb to it.” As Pike spoke the sound in Keyleth’s earpiece faded until she could barely make out the last couple words Pike had said. 

“Is anyone else getting interference on their comms?” Keyleth asked. 

“Yeah, I didn’t hear that last bit,” Vax called back. 

“I heard it, but it cut out just after,” Vex replied. 

“I don’t like this,” Percy said, directly behind Keyleth. 

“Me neither,” Keyleth agreed.

Vax came to the vent and pried it open. He seemed to look beyond it before calling back. “It’s a room, but it’s fucking weird. There's about a twenty-foot drop.” 

“Do you need any help?” Keyleth asked. 

“No, the uniform comes with some wire on the belt. I’ll repel down and help you guys from the bottom.” And with that, Vax pulled a hook from the belt, connecting it to the ledge, then descended from view. Keyleth followed behind looking into the chamber. She looked down to see if Vax was at the bottom. He had made it safely down. “Use your belt and do the same thing.” Keyleth sighed and pulled a hook and cable from her belt. She slowly descended, by hanging from the wire and slowly releasing tension. 

Percy had a harder time, without his own grappling hook, he had to use the two cables already there from Vax and Keyleth to slowly rope climb his way down. He almost slipped but barely caught himself. Vex used the same technique as Keyleth had and finally Trinket had to come out of the vent head first and hang on as he pulled himself the rest of the way from the shaft, before shimming his way down the cables like Percy did. 

Once they got all of their cables and hooks back in their belts, Keyleth could finally turn around and get a good look at the weird chamber they were in. It was a huge dome, taking up multiple stories in the middle of this space station. In the center was a four-sided pyramid. It looked about 60 feet tall, and rather than being smooth, it was like it had been built layer by layer, creating a step design all the way to the top. 

“What the hell is this place?” Vax asked, coming to stand next to Keyleth. He looked like he was trying to get a view of the top of the pyramid. Keyleth scanned the room. There was nobody else in the chamber. There also didn’t seem to be any doorways as much as metal panels that could be opened and shut. Those metal panels were shut. 

“Pike, Pike are you there? Can you hear me?” Vex said, trying to get her comms to work.

“I can’t even hear you in my earpiece sister,” Vax said. “Well, what next?”

“Well, while we have a moment, let me take this stupid armor off,” Vex said and began stripping off the pristine, white Stormtrooper suit. Vax followed suit and so Keyleth decided to take hers off as well. 

As they took off the armor, Percy sat at the base of the pyramid. “So, I think introductions are in order. You said you are traveling with some of my friends, but I don’t know any of you. I can start. I am Prince Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Kowalski DeRollo III of Whitestone…” His voice faded as he said Whitestone. _So he already knows what happened._ Keyleth thought. 

“Got any nicknames Whitey or should I just stick with _Your Highness_?” Vax asked, voice dripping in sarcasm. 

“Most people just call me Percy.” 

“I’m Keyleth of the Air Ashari,” Keyleth said. “My mother was a Jedi, back in the day.”

“And are you a Jedi?” Percy asked. 

“Well, not exactly,” Keyleth said, as she could feel her face get hot. “But I’m learning. Allura said she’d teach me how to use the Force.”

“And what about you three?” Percy asked, “How did you end up on an Empire battle station saving my life?”

“My name is Vex'ahlia and that is my brother Vax’ildan. The Wookie is Trinket.” Vex said. “We were originally going to be paid to bring some Jedi fugitives, to Whitestone, but got pulled onto this godforsaken ship instead.”

“If that’s what you are worried about, I will see to it that you are heavily compensated for your endeavor.”

“That is what I like to hear,” Vex said and winked at the white-haired man. They all finished taking off their uniforms but opted to keep the Stormtrooper belts. Keyleth thought about commenting about how Vax had three belts on but decided to hold her tongue instead.

“Well, Pike said that there should be a vent on the other side but that it would be at a higher level.” Keyleth said, “Do you think that means over the pyramid?” 

“Only one way to find out,” Vax said and started climbing up the pyramid. 

“What are you doing, Brother?” Vex called after him. “We don’t know what’s up there. It could be dangerous.”

“Or it could be our way out. Are you coming?” Vax asked and continued walking up. Vex huffed and followed him, grumbling about stupid, impulsive brothers. Keyleth made eye contact with Percy and shrugged. The two of them started climbing up behind Vex and Trinket brought up the rear again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, I'm not dead! Man, it's been a while (It's been a whiiiilllleee). Sorry, it took me so long to update, there really are no excuses other than I didn't really feel like writing, but I reread all my chapters and thought that I should write more. So here I am. Let's just call it a late Critmas gift to the people who have been waiting for this story. I hope you like the new chapter. There will probably be one more inside the Ziggurat since this one was a lot longer than I thought it was going to be. Anyway, hope you like it, and I hope you all had wonderful holidays!


End file.
